


The Fight

by Cleo



Series: Bagera Tales [6]
Category: Transporter (Movies), xXx (2002)
Genre: Animals, Crack, Cute, Established Relationship, Fluff, Fun, Funny, Humor, M/M, Non-Canon Relationship, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-11-16
Updated: 2006-11-16
Packaged: 2017-10-19 19:53:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/204616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cleo/pseuds/Cleo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Frank and Xander fight what is a cub to do?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Fight

**Author's Note:**

> See Part 1.

Bagera's two legs weren't talking. Noisy One was quiet and Quiet One wasn't so quiet anymore. Quiet One was restless and not sleeping well especially since Noisy One had left the den they shared and moved to another one in their domain. He wasn't sure what caused his two-legs to be so sad but he didn't like his two-legs not being, well, his two-legs.

Bagera didn't like his two-legs not sleeping together because he didn't know which one to stay with. In their den he'd take one of his blankets and climb on the box at the foot of their bed just so that he could be near both of them. Sometimes when Quiet One or Noisy One was not home he'd be cuddled in the bed with his two-leg as they missed their mate. But now they were both missing their mate though they were right here and he didn't know who to cuddle with.

*

Frank didn't know how to make it right. He knew Xander was all bravado and attitude to a lot of people but deep inside when it came to personal stuff he was very insecure and scared. His wonderful mate was always wondering if he fit in with the Council and other vampires. No matter how much he was assured, Xander still felt like everyone thought they didn’t belong together.

Ever since that disastrous attempt at bathing Bagera, his Xander had been pulling away. It was little things at first, Frank had noticed but put it down to both of their schedules and work. Then he realized it had been two weeks since his mate had bugged for them to go out together. He'd be asked at least once a week about them going out somewhere even if it were for a walk.

He'd felt his mate's swirling emotions but they'd kept changing too quickly for him to get the true meaning of them. He would get flashes of determination, pain, loss, anger, fear and desolation none of them the true reason behind his mate's actions and all of them echoes of his own emotions. Every time he was determined to get down to the heart of the matter something else would come up and he'd be forced to postpone again. Time would pass and before he knew, it had been a month since things had started going wrong and he had done nothing to correct it.

Then they'd argued about something stupid, silly and totally unrelated to what was really going on. Before he knew what had happened his Xander had moved out of their room, into one of the guest rooms and wasn't speaking to him. Frank guessed he should be glad that his mate didn't leave their home completely.

He feared what would be the last straw because the things said during the argument had been hurtful and had cut deep. He just didn't know what to do to get through his mate's thick head to make it all better. He had to make it better because he was losing his family again and this time it was due to his own neglect and inattention.

*

Xander knew he was doing the right thing but why did it have to hurt so much. He knew he wasn't good enough for Frank. He just knew it and Bagera's bath had been the proof. He couldn't even figure out something as simple as putting toys in the water to get their cub to stay put. Instead he'd been about to drug their baby without thought to the effects it might have had on the cub. No wonder his mate had tackled him, it was to protect Bagera from his stupidity.

That night had been all the proof he needed that he didn't belong with Frank. But it only brought up the problem of how did he get Frank to let him go. Not to mention how could he let him go? Now, well into his plan, he felt as if he was dying. All his actions from taking on extra work away from his mate to the intentional argument he had started as an excuse to move out of their room and bed had hurt deeply.

He ached for the comfort of his mate's arms around him but he knew he didn't deserve the comfort and love of such a good man. He was a street punk that did tricks for kicks and money no matter who it hurt. Now he wanted to be worthy and for a while he'd fooled himself that he truly was. Then he had realized that it was an unattainable dream that his mate and he could work together well, even with his shortcomings.

The next step of his plan was the hardest because it meant going even more against his very soul and though he didn't want to he knew he had to. He just hoped it didn't kill him in the process.

*

Bagera sat in his favorite chair with his favorite toy he'd gotten from Noisy One's closet. He tried to figure out what had happened to his two-legs and when did it start. He tried to think back to how long it had been but he didn't know for sure. What he did know was that it started before the last time the night's light was bright. That was around the time his beta had tried giving him his bath but he'd wanted to play.

That day he had made both his two-legs sad with his misbehavior. He thought his Alpha, Quiet One had fixed his beta, Noisy One but it seems as if it hadn't worked. He realized that since that day every time he'd get near his Noisy One he'd whiff sadness. Also a few of the times that Quiet One was away Noisy One had cried into his fur. He hadn't known what to do that night so he'd brought his favorite toy and given it to Noisy One to help cheer his beta up. It had gotten a smile out of his beta but it didn't seem to last, though he did get a good scratch and rub down from his beta because of it.

Bagera suddenly realized his two-legs' sadness was because of him. He'd been a bad cub and had hurt his two-legs. He knew alphas decided who was in the pack and who wasn't. Most would end up outcasts and not be welcomed by the others once the alpha had decided. Maybe his two-legs were arguing over if he should be outcast or not.

Alphas could be influenced by their betas but usually the good of the pack was the deciding factor. Their pack was small and most packs only needed an alpha and its mate to start with. A mated alpha could always start over anywhere and since their pack was small and Quiet One and Noisy One were mated that meant that the only one to go would be Bagera.

Maybe that was the trouble Noisy One wanted him to stay and Quiet One wanted him to go. His beta tried to influence his alpha by leaving their den but not the domain as a way to show his displeasure. He loved his two-legs he didn't want them to be apart. He liked the way they smelled of each other but the smell was starting to fade. He didn't want them apart they were mated and he loved them together.

The more Bagera thought about it the more there was only one solution left. He needed to leave. He needed to go so that his two-legs would be happy again. He got down and padded over to the room where his alpha was and looked at his sleeping two-leg. Then he padded down to the other room and looked at his beta curled up around the pillows and from the smell he could tell he had cried. That strengthened his decision, it was killing his beta to be without his mate and Bagera was the reason. He decided to leave that night.

*

Frank had woken up to the sun coming in through his window and once again to a cold and lonely bed. He reached out with his senses to check on his family. Through his bond he sensed the turmoil still waging in his mate but the sense of loss was growing along with the despair. He was determined that today no matter what; they would settle what was wrong between them. With that in mind he went in search of the other member of his family.

He scanned as far as his hearing would let him but didn't sense any heartbeats within the confines of their home. He knew that was odd because no matter where in the house Bagera hid he could always find him. He stretched his hearing to beyond their walls and still no sense of Bagera or his heartbeat.

Frank scrambled out of the bed and went looking for their wayward cub. After about an hour he was starting to get frantic and panic.

*

Xander bolted upright in his bed looking around for what had awoken him. He felt a sudden sense of dread and panic overwhelm him that he knew was coming from Frank. He scrambled out of bed to find what was freaking him out and causing such a state in his normally calm mate.

When he walked out of the guest room it was to find his mate looking around franticly and trying to calmly call out for their cub. That's when he did his own sensory scan to locate their baby but came up empty. Now, he was starting to get worried.

"Frank? Where's Bagera?"

"I don't know, Xander. He's missing. I can't find him anywhere in the house."

"Did you look in all his favorite spots? You know how he likes to play hide and seek with us," Xander said.

"Of course I looked! Don't you think those would have been the first places I looked?" Frank said loudly with a panic filled voice.

Xander looked down at his feet, "Sorry, I didn't mean anything by it. If anyone knows your cub it’s you. You don't need someone like me telling you what you already know," he said.

Frank froze and looked at his mate. He processed what had just been said and realized that he needed to tend to his mate first before everything else. Slowly he walked over to stand in front of him. Tilting Xander's chin to look in his eyes he said, "If you mean someone who has a good heart, giving, gorgeous, sexy, smart, funny, playful, loving, kind, generous and my mate then he has every right to tell me what's on his mind."

"Not when I don't know anything," Xander said as he tried to turn his head away from Frank's stare.

Frank stepped closer, "You know many things love. There is so much inside of you that you haven't even begun to know. What you do know and let show is wonderfully beautiful.

I love every day that you learn something new about yourself, life and us. I love sharing in all the wondrous things you find to do. I have never found anyone who could deal with my serious nature for long nor be able to get me to loosen up. Love, you brought life into my life. Without you in it, happy and whole there is no reason for me to live. Don't take yourself away from me, please. I need you in order to live," Frank finished moving even closer.

Xander was dumbfounded and couldn't believe what his mate had said. "Y-you, need me t-to l-live? But how can you need someone who doesn't know how to take care of what's precious to you. I make stupid decisions that can hurt people or animals. I don't think like I should. What if I had hurt Bagera with my dart? I know you love him and he's your baby. You should be out looking for him now instead of babying me. He's what's important to you," Xander babbled and turned to leave.

Frank pulled his mate into his arms. "Xander. Nothing is as important to me as you are. Yes, Bagera is my baby but you are the other half of my soul. Without you there is nothing for me. You are my life. You are everything that is precious to me in this world. Please, don't do this to us. Don't let what ever is going through your head eat at you until it eats at us," Frank said as he caressed Xander's cheek.

Xander wanted to believe him but all the voices of his past were screaming in his head. They were telling him that he wasn't good, saying he was a screw up and wasn't worth the effort. All his life was worth was whatever they could get from his death. But here was this man whose sense of honor didn't allow him to deviate from a deal no matter what. Yet he'd be willing to break all his self imposed rules for the sake of a child. Here was a man whose very past spoke of loyalty and he was putting Xander above all of that. He couldn't wrap his head around it.

"W-Why me? Why did you end up with a fuck up like me? I'm damaged goods. Not worth fixing. Not worth keeping either. You could do so much better. You must be so disappointed with ending up with a worthless mate like me."

"You. Are. Not. Worthless. You are priceless to me. No one can replace you and I wouldn't even want to try. There is only one person who can fit the hole inside me and that's you." Frank leaned in and gently kissed his mate with all the love he had.

Their reunion was interrupted by the phone ringing. "Hello?" Frank answered.

"Frank, would you or your mate be so kind as to...come and get your cub!"

"Bagera's at the castle? When did he get there? How is he?" Frank rattled off.

"Yes, he's here. I don't know when he got here. He seems to be fine though he's been sticking to Othello like glue. Which brings me to my point. I know Minerva doesn't mind them being together. I on the other hand would like to be able to go downstairs to eat breakfast. It's bad enough I have one cub tripping me down the stairs I don't need another doing it as well."

"I hope you didn't hurt or scare him Methos. So help me if you so much as harm a hair on his..." Frank threatened.

"Frank! I have never harmed. Well, I have but not Bagera. Hell, if I haven't made an Othello rug by now why would I hurt Bagera?"

"I'm sorry Methos. It's just that we're in the middle of something right now. Can you have Min just bring the cubs into her rooms and I'll pick him up as soon as we're done here," Frank said tiredly.

Something in Frank's voice alerted Methos to the seriousness of the situation and he curbed his initial retort. "Of course Frank. Do what you need to do. We'll take care of Bagera until you can come for him. Take care my friend."

"Thanks Methos," Frank hung up the phone and turned to his mate. "Bagera ran away to the castle it seems. Methos said they'd take care of him until we can come and get him."

Xander turned to go and get dressed, "We better go then." He said with a quiet sigh.

Frank stopped and pulled Xander back into his arms. "Nothing is more important than you. Never forget that. When the demons in your head start getting too loud for you to deal with, tell me and I'll shut them down."

"Okay," Xander quietly replied.

"Don't you want to know how I'll do it?" At his mate's nod Frank answered, "By loving you even more. My love is your shield and defense against those demons. Okay?"

"Yeah," Xander weakly smiled.

"Good now, I think we better go get our baby before Methos makes a rug out of him." Frank said kissing his mate.

"He better not hurt our furball or else I'd have to hurt him," Xander grumbled as he went to get dressed.

Frank followed behind knowing that this wasn't the complete end to it. He knew this whole ordeal had touched his mate deeply and the healing from it was going to be hard. But so long as he didn’t shut Frank out it would get better.

*

Bagera had been brought in and settled by the fire in his brother's room. He hadn't had any idea where to go so he had come here to ask his brother. By the time he'd made it to the castle and finally gotten into the building he was cold and tired. He'd tried finding his brother's rooms but had gotten lost several times. Finally he found a spot that seemed to be his brother's favorite, as it smelled strongly of him. So he curled up there and waited. He knew eventually his brother would find him and then he could ask.

Bagera was startled awake by a yell and by almost getting stepped on. He got scared and ran through a two-leg's legs and then dodged as something tried to grab him. He wasn't sure what was going on but he didn't want to get into trouble. All he wanted was his brother since he couldn't go home. He started calling for his brother and next he knew he was scooped up into gentle arms smelling of sugar and spices. He tried to get away but couldn't and finally the petting he was getting calmed him. That's when he realized it was his brother's two-leg that was holding him.

"Minerva! Your boy did it again! I am sick and tired of having to watch where I step first thing in the morning without that menace trying to trip me down stairs. He needs to be taught a..." Methos looked around and rubbed his eyes but the image still remained double. "When did Bagera get here?" He asked.

"I don't know but he'll be staying until Frank or Xander can come to get him. I'd say you scared him more than he did you. Why don't you go call Frank and Xander, let them know their boy is safe and sound," Minerva ordered.

So that was how Bagera found himself still at the castle. He'd been fed and warmed. His brother Othello hadn't left his side since either. Bagera figured since the two-legs were busy he'd find out where he could go from his brother.

"Brother, I'm outcast from my pack. Where can I go?" Bagera asked as he curled closer to his brother.

"You can't be outcast. This pack doesn't let anyone go. Not unless you hurt one of them. Did you hurt one of them?" Othello asked.

Bagera whined pitifully, "I think I hurt my beta. Which made my alpha upset. I thought my alpha fixed it. I was a very good cub since but my beta and alpha aren't talking to each other anymore."

"Did they get loud and have their arms going everywhere while doing it?"

"Not really. Noisy One did that but Quiet One just got loud. It started when I wanted to continue to play when my beta said it was time to get a bath. I kept running away. Then Quiet One came and put my toys in the water to play with. Next I knew I was getting a bath by him. Noisy One was sad about that," Bagera explained.

"See our two-legs are weird. They don't follow normal pack rules. They belong to one pack but don't stay in the same spot all the time as the rest of the pack. Your alpha and beta have their own alpha and beta. They still have to do what my two-leg or her mate tells them to. Your two-legs won't make you outcast because they are not speaking. We keep them from being stupid when they get like that," Othello said.

"You see two legs, especially mates, like to fight. It's their way of asserting who's boss. But the funny thing is that the role seems to always change. See my two-leg, she lets her mate think he's the alpha. Everyone else knows it's truly her that runs the pack. Though there are times when her mate does rise to his role as alpha. When he does she lets him. That's the funny thing about two-legs they are always switching the roles."

"That explains why my alpha likes to take on a lot of things that a beta does. I thought my beta was feeling sad because my alpha wasn't letting him be a beta. That doesn't explain to me why my beta and alpha are sleeping in separate dens? Why each night apart my beta cries himself to sleep? Why whenever I come near my beta he gets sadder?" Bagera finished miserably.

"Maybe because your beta thinks he'll be outcast. Being in my two legs rooms I hear more than you do down in your domain. I don't always understand but I get the idea. My two-leg had spoken to her mate; she was worried about your two-legs. I think your beta thinks he's not good enough to be your alpha's mate."

"That's wrong. My alpha adores his mate and my beta adores him as well. Why would he think that?" Bagera asked confused.

"Well, your beta had some very mean two-legs tell him he wasn’t. Now he doesn't believe he should be happy," Othello answered.

"Where are these two-legs? I'll bite them to bits and spit them out," Bagera snarled.

"Sorry but I don't know," Othello apologized.

"Then how am I to make is better for my beta?" Bagera whined.

"Love him. Love both of them. Even when they aren't talking to each other, love them. I've had to do that with my two legs. Just remember their fights may not be about you. When you don't know if it is, be all cute and cuddly toward one of them and soon you'll find out."

"Okay," Bagera said and was quickly startled when the doors burst open.

"Bagera!" His two-legs said together as they rushed in to hug and cuddle him. They had found him and it looked as if they were going to be all right. Bagera made a promise to show extra special love and attention to his beta. Maybe it will help with what the mean two-legs had told him. But right now he just soaked in the love coming from his two-legs. He'll make a point later of letting them know how much he loved them.


End file.
